A Wonderful Tale
by Kurt The Mortician
Summary: Follow the story of Alice Nilesly and her comrades as they adventure through their three years at Beacon. This will be a gripping tale filled with love, adventure, comedy, and STUFF! Please read and enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

**_Ladies_**_** and Gentlemen, Lads and Lasses, Beautiful People I am Kurt the mortician and IT IS GOOD TO BE BACK! Now this will be an independent project that I will be working on whenever I feel like it, as such it will not have a regular update schedule like SATY does. By the way we will update SATY before Volume 2 of RWBY begins, so don't worry it is coming and it is not over. Now without further ado, enjoy.**_

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><p>"Lady Nilesly, I beg you, you must reconsider!" The maid yelled through the mahogany door, currently locked in front of her. Her words echoed through the lavishly decorated hallway she stood in, and not a single soul other than her was present.<p>

"I will do no such thing Miss Mildred." Came the reply, although slightly muffled by the door. On the other side of the door, Alice Nilesly was packing her luggage, making sure to pack only the essentials, occasionally stopping to check on her pet rabbit, which sat nervously in its cage.

"But Lady Nilesly, you already participate in those brutish contests, as if you're some sort of prize fighter-" Mildred began only to be cut off by Alice.

"They are not brutish contests; they are duels of honor and contests of chivalry, a noble art."

"Even so they are no place for a lady, much less the crown princess!"

"I am no longer the heir to the throne remember, mother is pregnant with my future baby brother." Alice replied, smiling as she packed the Vorpal Blade into its case, taking a moment to admire the broadswords beauty.

The bluish silver blade, accompanied by four red dust crystals running the length of the blade in its center, seemed to hum with power as it sat on the red velvet lining of the case. The crystals were all carved into different shapes, placed at the hilt was a crystal in the shape of a heart, followed by a diamond, then a club with the spade forming the tip of the blade. The blade had been a gift from Alice's father when she began dueling, and she had treasured it since.

During this time Alice spent admiring her weapon; Mildred had managed to finish her speech about how attending a combat school was unladylike, and how Alice had the royal guard to fight for her. As the speech drew to a close, Alice walked over to the door and unlocked it allowing Mildred to enter her room. Alice silently studied the old maid, gazing at the older woman's hunched over form, snow white hair, her wrinkled features, and kind eyes.

Alice been looked after by Mildred, her entire life, just as her father had, now as she looked into the maid's cloudy grey eyes, she could see no trace of anger, only worry. Upon seeing this Alice said softly, "I know this is hard for you, but it's something I have to do."

Alice received a soft tap on the head, as Mildred chuckled and replied, "I know, but I worry Lady Alice, you've only left the castle for your duels, and on rare occasions, to visit other kingdoms."

"You've been tutored all of your life and you've only ever played with the castle staff. I'm just worried that you're not ready for this." The old maid said softly as she walked around Alice's sparsely decorated room.

Alice herself, ran her eyes over the room where she had spent most of her life, her large canopy bed rested in the center of the room, her small desk and chess set rested in the corner next to two arm chairs and a large book shelf, filled with leather bound tomes. Next to her door was a mirror which she now stood in front of.

Mildred finished her walk around the room and stood next to Alice as she stared at her form in the mirror. The old woman chuckled as she said, "I scarcely recognize you."

Alice herself could understand the maid. Her hair was brushed and hung to her shoulders held in place by a white hairband, rather than being pinned up into the elaborate bun it normally was. Her face was its natural vanilla tone; instead of the pale white it was normally painted. Her amethyst eyes seemed to shine brightly, back at her. Her new simple blue dress and white apron seemed to fit perfectly, yet still being modest. Her white knee socks and blue flats were in pristine conditions, and both had simple white bows to accent them.

"Indeed." Alice replied after a moment. She turned and hugged the old woman before walking over to her luggage stacking her rabbit's cage on top of her trunk, and closing the Vorpal Blade's case. She picked up the case by its handle on the side, and rolled her trunk behind her, as she walked out of her room and down the hall.

As she walked down the hall he mind pondered her future.

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><p>This is my chance.<p>

I finally get to leave the castle and see how the commoner's live.

I can have normal friends, I can do normal things, I can go to classes with other people and have regular teachers, and do regular stuff.

Well as regular as combat school can be.

Now that is the icing on the cake, I can finally become a knight.

Well a hunter, but that is still an incredible achievement.

I can not wait to get to Beacon.

I believe the brochure said it was somewhere in Vale, quite the change from Menagerie, then again I could have attended a school here, but Mother insisted that If I was to attend a combat school it should be the best.

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><p>"Alice!"<p>

The sound of her mother's voice derailed Alice's thoughts as she snapped out of her internal dialogue. Alice's head shot up as she looked around and saw that she was in the courtyard. During her little internal monologue she had managed to go through the hall, the great hall, the courtyard, and managed to get to castle gates.

Both her mother and father stood before her, Alice walked over to her father and gave him a quick hug. She shared her eyes, hair and tempermant with her father, and he stood wearing his usual stately silver suit, his golden blond hair combed back with his crown resting upon his head, amethyst eyes filled with warmth trained on his daughter.

Alice's mother stood next to him indulging her daughter in a quick embrace before returning to her husband's side, she wore her normal elegant red gown, and her chestnut brown hair was done in a neat french braid with a simple silver circlet resting on her head.

Alice looked to both of her parents and queried, "Why are both of you here?"

Alice's father smiled and replied, "We came to see you off before you board the private dust jet to Vale."

"Why could I not have taken a more humble method of transport? Perhaps a cab to the local airship port?" Alice questioned, frowning slightly.

Alice's father gave her a pat on the head and answered, "Your mother insisted."

"Which reminds me," Alice's mother interjected her smile hand the barest hint of a smug grin as she continued, "I have indulged your desire to attend a combat school, I would have you indulge me."

"Indulge how?" Alice inquired nervously.

"You are eighteen years old, and the crown princess, and tradition dictates that you must have a knight, so before you are nineteen,I expect you to select your knight of honor." Alice's mother answered.

"And I may choose whoever I wish?" Alice asked tentatively.

"Yes." Alice's mother answered before hugging her daughter again and holding her daughter's face.

"Do you know what I see?" She asked, smiling.

Alice answered, "No." in response.

"I see the bravest girl ever to grace this family. I could scarcely imagine competing in duels much less, attending combat schools if I was your age. Now go and make this family proud." She gave her daughter a light push, Prompting her daughter to smile, and continue out the open gates.

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><p>As Alice sat in one of the many empty seats of the dust jet she looked out the window and watched as her home seemed to get smaller and smaller as she flew away, before turning her attention back to the novel she had started reading. Before long she would be in Vale, and then this adventure would really begin.<p>

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><p><em><strong>Alright so this story will be following Team WNLD, the little side team in SATY, this story will be told almost entirely from Alice's perspective, for reasons. Now this story will be updated whenever I feel like it, it could be updated four times in a week and then not at all for a month. So enjoy and please review as it helps me figure out what I do right, and what I do wrong. Anyway I am Kurt the mortician, and I hope this laid your worries, fears, and troubles to rest.<strong>_

_**Oh and one more thing. SHOUT OUT TO LILOME!  
>YOU MY BOY!<strong>_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Ladies and Gentlemen, Lads and Lasses, Beautiful People I am Kurt the mortician, and this is the second chapter for this story this week. I seem to have a drive to write this story, so expect more soon. I'll keep this note short so read and enjoy!**_

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><p>Alice was currently stood over by one of the numerous windows, overlooking Downtown Vale as the airship left the dock, and began to head to Beacon. Some students had approached her and she had been as courteous as she could, however she couldn't help but find some of their behaviors odd.<p>

For example, everyone seemed to agree without hesitation to whatever she said, no matter how preposterous it was. Also the male students seemed to have trouble keeping their eyes on her face, always looking around at other stuff. Not to mention the numerous people who seemed to keep their distance but stare. It was all rather disconcerting.

However one student seemed not to acknowledge her at all. A male fox faunus was glued to one of the few tv screens on the ship. His choice of clothing, even for Beacon was rather odd as well.

The boy was thin, and looked to be fairly well muscled despite this. He wore pair of wine purple snake skin dress shoes, fairly torn and dirty purple skinny jeans, a black leather vest lined with red and black fur, as well as a purple top hat, with a tag reading 11/7 as well as a large black feather. The hat rested on a mess of red and white streaked hair, that suggested he just got out of bed. An reddish orange tail with a white tip swished back and forth as his green eyes stared wildly at the screen, marvelling at the image.

"This is amazin'!" The young man seemed to murmur, childlike wonder spread across his tanned and sparsely freckled face. "The pictures move, how'd they do that?"

Alice then noticed something else about the strange boy, everyone else on the airship seemed to be giving him a berth, there was no one within five feet of him. Alice began to wonder what could cause people to give a stranger this much space, her question was subsequently answered when a bell tone went off and a hologram of one of the school's staff appeared next to the boy and began speaking.

The moment the hologram appeared the boy swung an aura coated fist through the projected professor's face. As if he had not expected the hologram to be be less than solid, the boy tumbled through the image and left a sizable dent in the metal plating of the ships interior.

The clang of the boy's fist meeting the metal was immediately followed by a cry of, "Shit!" and further jabs into the hologram in fury.

The other students began to cluster around and watch as the boy attempted to punch out the woman who was attempting to give a welcome speech.

Alice then decided that it would probably be for the best to try and calm down the raging boy, she began to approach the crowd, only to watch them part as she made her way toward the wildly swinging faunus. She approached slowly and deliberately so as not to startle the clearly dangerous student.

"Hello, pardon me but may I speak to you for a moment?" She asked courteously before she was within swinging distance. The boy turned on a heel, winding up a punch but halting once he saw alice politely standing before him.

THe boy then straightened his vest and tipped his hat replying, "Certainly maam, beggin' your pardon for the wind up, but you caught me by surprise. What can I do ya for?"

"Oh, just a bit of conversation, Lady Alice Nilesly of Menagerie, pleased to meet you." Alice said, curtsying in response.

"Winston Fratley, pleased to be makin' your acquaintance" The boy introduced himself, giving a slight nod and smile.

"Well Mr. Winston, is this your first time seeing a hologram?" Alice gestured to the recording of Goodwitch that was playing to the students.

"First off, it's Fratley, only ma calls me Winston. and secondly, whatagram?" Fratley scratched at his brow as the foreign words fell on deaf ears.

"Apologies Mr. Fratley, and it's a hologram, a holographic image." Alice attempted to explain, before realising that more detail might be needed.

"What?" The entirely lost Fratley agreed with her thoughts.

"It is an image or thin that is not solid. Sort of like smoke." Alice began to clarify, as best she could.

"I don't quite get it but it is amazin'. The clan elder was right, this place is full o' neat bits and bobs." Her explanation clearly had no impact on the boy.

"I suppose so, if I may be so bold as to ask, where do you hail from?" The boy's accent was somewhat familiar, and Alice felt inclined to find out where it originated.

"Oh, I'm from Menagerie, way out in the wildlands." The same country, interesting.

"Pardon, the wildlands you say,as in the fields and hills filled with nevermors and boarbatusks?" Clearly Alice was surprised. She'd been told that the wildlands were hardly a hospitable environment.

"The same. Gotta say, this is nothin like home." Fratley commented.

"I'd imagine so, when you say you live out in the wildlands do you mean in a town or?" It seemed like such a silly question. Obviously he was from a town. More, she was asking where specifically he came from.

"Nah, the clan prefers to stay on the move, we track and hunt the boarbatusk herds," Well, that certainly wasn't the answer she was expecting, "During the winter when they migrate we hunt nevermores."

"You hunt nevermores, what kind of weapons do you use if you live as nomads?" Now Alice was definitely curious. She had no idea people lived like this, in her own kingdom as well.

"Mostly weapons made from grimm bones, though I prefer the ol' one two." Fratley held up his hands as demonstration.

"You hunt with your bare hands?" Why this boy was getting more interesting by the second.

"Yes, why, what do you use?" Fratley seemed almost insulted by the questioning of his bare handed abilities.

"A broadsword, but how exactly do you kill a boarbatusk with your bare hands?" Alice continued her inquiry.

"Ah it's easy, just gotta coat em in aura, then hit the beast right in it's ribs or in it's belly." Fratley began explaining, "If you're lucky the piggy's ribs'll break."

"Ah, I see, I am willing to wager this is your first time out in the city, and out of the kingdom?" Finally Alice addressed the boy's obvious manner. One of a person who clearly had not travelled before.

"Yes, still not quite used to it, I keep gettin' funny looks everywhere I go." Fratley eyeballed the dispersing ring of students around him.

"I do wonder why." The girl tried to suppress a slight smirk.

"Are ya makin' fun of me?" Fratley's tone leaving Alice unsure just how personally he had taken the statement.

"No, why on Remnant ever would you think that?" She said, trying to calm the boy.

"S'not fair, ya know, I've never been anywhere like this." Fratley's voice noticeably less angry.

"You know, this is my first time in the city as well." Alice hoped this would sooth the boy.

"Come off it!" he scoffed, "Ya may dress a lil' funny but you look like you've at least been somewhere like this before."

"No, it most certainly is true!" she protested, "I never really had the chance to see any cities or talk to anyone my own age really until now." the girl continued to stand there for a few seconds before something clicked, "Wait, what was that about the way I dress!?"

"Now now, take it easy, I've just never seen a girl wander around with an apron on outside of the kitchen." Fratley said, offhandedly.

"But mother assured me that this is what all of the common girls wore!" She exclaimed.

"Common? What are ya, some kinda princess?" He joked.

"Why yes I am." Alice responded, curious that someone from her own country would not recognise the family name, "I am Lady Alice Chrysanthemum Nilesly, crown princess and second in line to the throne." Alice said before realising, "Wait no, forget I said any of that!"

"Princess huh?" Fratley nodded his head in approval, "Well look at me, rubbin' elbows with such a bigwig!"

"Well, anyhow, Yes, as the crown princess I rarely had a moment where I left the castle." She quickly brought the conversation back on topic.

"It barely shows." He shrugged, "So what's a princess doin' at a hunter school?"

"I came to become a huntress, live a life of chivalry and adventure, castle life is rather stuffy, and I have always dreamed of getting out!" Alice recalled her interested from a young age in being the knight rather than the princess.

"And do your parents know you left the castle, or should I expect some knight in shining armour to come snatch you away?" Fratley joked once again.

"I will have you know that I have been dueling since I was thirteen. I am perfectly capable of attending this school and my parents are well aware of this fact." The girl responded proudly.

"That's not an answer." The brim of his hat rose slightly alongside a single eyebrow.

"Yes they do know I am here, and do you not know that it is rude to pry into a lady's private matters?" Alice huffed.

"Well my clan sent me. They got a letter from one of the schools professor's offering a spot here, and since I was the strongest hunter my age back home, they shipped me off." Fratley offered the information as penance.

"So where are your bags, or did you not bring any?" The now revealed princess looked around the area near the boy.

"Oh yeah I brought one." He relied, pointing to the single leather bag propped against the nearest window, a tiny thing that would be no hinderance if worn.

"Ah, you opted to pack only the essentials, I wish I could say the same." Alice gestured to her expanse of bags, and rabbit cage.

"I've been meaning to ask, what's with the rabbit?" Fratley crouched and peered into the cage.

"Oh, that is Mister Jabberwocky!" She noticeably cheered up at the mention, "I found out the other evening beacon allows small pets like rabbits or birds."

"What was that!?" The boys eyes suddenly wide with alarm. The ship's intercom had given off a soft chiming sound.

"Oh that just means that the ship is landing, no need to worry Mr. Fratley." She reassured.

"Finally gettin to the school!" Fratley's mood turned on a penny to one of pure excitement. "The elder said this was a real posh place, can't wait to see what it's actually like!"

"I can hardly wait either."

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><p>Alice and Fratley had spent most of their first day together, after disembarking from the airhsip they had attended the headmaster's welcome speech, if it could be called that, and now they found themselves standing before a situation neither of them could have ever anticipated.<p>

"I do wonder where the girls are sleeping." Alice looked around cautiously.

"I think all the students are sleeping here." Fratley responded, noting several instances of male and female students next to one another.

"What?" She gasped, shocked, "Why ever would they have us all sleep in the same room?"

"You're askin' the wrong person sister." The boy shrugged.

"Wait just a minute, where are your pajamas?" Alice noticed that Fratley was not only still dressed but did not have his bag with him.

"Pawhatas?" Fratley frowned.

"You know the clothes you sleep in?" She prompted.

"Um, I'm not entirely sure what your on about?" Still nothing.

"Are you planning on sleeping in the same clothes you've been wearing all day?" Alice elaborated.

"Of course not, I'll detch my vest, my shoes, and my hat." Fratley responded as if the answer was obvious.

"Uh 'scuse me man, but you know where they put our bags?" A boy with a black and white attire asked, as he bobbed his head to some sort of jazz song playing from the headphones around his neck.

"Haven't the foggiest idea." Fratley replied.

"Well 'preciate the answer, peace." The boy said as he walked off, half dancing as he did so.

"Now we should probably find a place to retire for the evening." Alice suggested.

"How bout over there, by those three?" Fratley suggested, gesturing to a group of three students somewhere in the middle of the ballroom. "Over with the boy with the weird hair and the girl with the camera and the silver hair?"

"No they seem to be arguing, although that mouse faunus seems to be trying to break it up." Alice replied giving a slight shake of her head at the sight of the faunus stepping between the boy

and girl

"Hmm how about we go there?" Fratley tapped his foot as he suggested another spot, pointing to a boy and girl who seemed almost identical, save for a few differences."That spot with the twins?"

"No, see that boy in the hoodie and that girl with the navy coloured hair, they seem to be moving towards that spot." Alice responded, standing near Fratley and directing his attention to the pair that seemed to be making a beeline for the twins.

"Ok then what about by those two?" Fratley asked, gesturing to a pair of teens a couple meters away. "The blond boy and the girl with the red hair?"

"I would prefer to stay away from them, see how the girl keeps scolding the boy, I doubt I could sleep next to them." Alice said, listening to the girl chew out the boy, as he somehow managed to keep snoring through the tongue lashing.

"I dunno, the guy seems to be managing it."Fratley commented, somewhat impressed at the boy's ability to sleep through such a verbal beatdown.

"I think we should just settle here by the door, so we can get a quick start tomorrow." Alice said, pointing to the spot they currently stood.

Fratley merely shrugged,before dusting off the ground, removing his shoes,hat and vest, and immediately falling asleep letting out small snores as his tail slowly curled.

Alice carefully laid out her sleeping bag and pillow, and slipped on her sleeping mask before nodding off.

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><p><em><strong>Alright so Alice has met Winston Fratley, the nomadic fox faunus from Menagerie, next chapter initiation begins, kinda. Anyway make sure to leave a review, whether it's good, bad, or irrelevant. Any way I am Kurt the Mortician and I hope this chapter laid your worries, fears, and troubles to rest.<strong>_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Initiation Preparation

Alice awoke that morning to find that many of the other students still sleeping, with the exception of the boy she had met the day before.

Said boy was currently performing a series of sit ups while whistling some sort of song. Asshe stood up and began to fold up the blanket and pillow she had used the night before, he took notice of her and said, "Mornin'."

"Why good morning," She greeted in response.

"Surprised ta see you not snoozin' the mornin' away." Fratley commented, continuing his exercises at a surprising speed.

"I should think not, we have a busy day ahead." Alice answered the boy, taking little notice of his activity.

"Reminds me, heard whisperin's about them sortin' us out into teams." Fratley said standing up and dusting his jeans and bare shoulders off, his tail swishing slowly behind him.

"Really? I was under the impression that teams in combat schools were rather uncommon?" Alice questioned, cocking her head to the side.

"'m 'fraid you'd know more about that than I. Not too used to yer fancy city learnin'." Fratley gave a smile.

"What is education like out in the wildlands?" Alice asked with great curiosity, she couldn't begin to imagine what living as a nomad was like.

"Ah, 'tisn't. 'm the only one who can write. An' nothin' like you folks, ah'll bet." He confessed.

"I'm certain your reading and writing skills are hard abysmal." Alice replied skeptically. As she finished folding her blanket and began to check, to make sure her belongings were in order.

"'m certain 'tisn't important. 'm here to fight." Fratley answered simply, with little more than a shrug. As he blew some dust of of his hat, and placed it on his head.

"Well, I must be off to the showers, then to breakfast, after all, punctuality is a pressing matter." Alice said walking off to the women's showers, her usual attire neatly folded in her arms. Before leaving completely she gave a brief curtsy, and said, "Farewell, Mr. Fratley."

Upon finishing her morning routine, and donning her normal blue dress and crisp white apron, Alice strolled into the lunch room, noting the response of some of her future classmates realizing her noble lineage. People seemed to once again part before her as they had on the airship, even at the queue for picking up food, people would simply step aside and allow her to go before them.

Alice let out a sigh as she looked out through the crowd, hoping she could find a place to eat without a crowd of people watching her eat her omelette, and drink her tea, as though they were observing some sort of animal in the zoo.

Then suddenly a loud familiar voice pierced the crowd.

"Ey! Nilesly! Over here!" Fratley yelled in his thick irish accent, sitting at a table with two other boys.

After having the same treatment as before, as well as the entirety of her life, Alice was beyond relieved to have the Fratley boy beckoning to her in such an informal manner. Were it up to her, she would have bolted over to the table lickety split. However, to do so would be highly improper and frankly embarrassing in front of so many other students. So, with as much grace as she could muster, Alice walked slowly over to Fratley and joined him and his newfound friends.

One of the boys was clad in a simple white lab coat, but with a set of blue scrubs on underneath, in addition to a set of wellington boots. He had black hair with blue tones in it, as well as a set of yellow tinted spectacles resting on his nose. The boy had a bit of scruff on his face as if he shaved on a somewhat irregular basis. He was cutting apart his pancakes the same way you would see someone dissect a frog, all the while smoking a cigarette that gave of a small amount of blue smoke, that had a strangely pleasant odor. He had a serious look on his face, but after each incision, he would pause before smiling, nodding, and continuing his work.

Sitting next to the boy who could have been mistaken for a hospital worker was a young man with a set of rabbit ears , and shaggy brown hair. His eyes were a warm brown, and he had hard features, and few small scars on his face. He wore a cream turtleneck sweater, as well as a simple pair of brown pants. A set of brown boots, that went up to his knees, covered his feet, and seemed to have been stitched together from animal hides. A long tartan scarf was draped around the boys neck and both ends hung over opposite shoulders. A smaller tartan scarf was wrapped around the boy's waist, and some sort of rod, with a set of barbed antlers protruding from one end was tucked into the scarf.

"So, still the center of attention are we?" The fox faunus chuckled, before taking a rather large bite out of the leg of chicken he had picked out for breakfast. "Anyway, this is Absolum, and Hare."

"It is very nice to meet you both." Alice gave a nod to each of the somewhat disinterested boys.

"Lance Absolum. Pleased to meet you." The boy with the glasses replied, before focusing his gaze on her, and continuing, "Alice Nilesly. Princess of the Nilesly family. Royalty at Beacon. Special guest? No, no escort or formal attire. Perhaps, here in secret? No to openly seen. Wait. Enrolled as a student?"

At first Alice was pleased to receive a response but as the boy had continued on to process why she was here out loud, at a surprising pace she found herself more than a little unsettled.

"Um, sorry about 'im. Not exactly the best at meet and greet. Harold Derricks, Just call me Hare though." The boy with the rabbit ears said, giving an apologetic nod and smile.

"Ah. My apologies. Did not intend to disturb. I prefer to go by Absolum." Absolum commented, as he returned to methodically cutting his pancakes, taking a long drag of his cigarette.

"Is smoking permitted inside of the Academy?" Alice questioned, gesturing to the blue wisps leaving Absolum's mouth.

"Usually no. Made an exception. Not tobacco." Albsolum answered, "Own concoction. Healthy, full of vitamins. Good for you. Would you like one?" he offered an expertly rolled cigarette towards the girl, who graciously declined. "Your loss. So why Beacon? Plenty of combat schools in Menagerie."

"Well, Beacon prides itself on taking in a whole manner of students. All the top academies in Menagerie are private, or exclusive. I would much rather be allowed to meet real people."Alice explained to the boy.

"Got a point there. I couldn't 'ave gotten into a school back home if I tried." Hare said, nodding at Alice's answer.

"Wait you're from Managerie?" Fratley asked, jumping into the conversation, clearly excited to meet another person from his home Kingdom. "What part?"

"Oh, I'm from Twoson, it's a village out on the edges of the wildlands." Hare replied, one of his ears was folded over, while the other stood up, the boy had a small smile on his face.

"You're from the wildlands too!" Fratley exclaimed with a pleased grin on his face. He cast a quick glance over to Alice and said, "More people from back home than we expected huh?"

"An unusual coincidence. I am from Menagerie as well." Absolum interjected finally finished cutting his pancakes into almost uniform squares, as he began to slowly drizzle syrup over the squares with a surprising amount of precision.

"A most unusual coincidence indeed Mr. Absolum. Perhaps fate has played a hand in this encounter." Alice said to the boy, before turning to his faunus friend, "As for an earlier remark, you said you were from a town named Twoson?"

"Ah yeah, what do you want to know?" Hare inquired, with a warm smile.

"It seems like an...unusual name. Is there a story behind it perchance?" Alice had to pause for thought, not wanting to insult the boy's home town.

"Well it was started by a guy, but he got torn apart when a beowolf pack attacked the town, an then the people were all like, 'wot are we gonna do!?' but the man had two sons who stepped up and fixed things. So they called the town Twoson." The faunus explained, ears dangling lazily.

"Your accent's almost as thick as Mr. Fratley's, is that a common trend in the wildlands?" Alice pondered at the broad manner of speaking that bore great similarity between Fratley and Hare. Distinct accents no doubt, but with a common root. Absolum had a mild twang to his voice himself.

"Ya got a problem with the way I speak?" The fox faunus challenged.

"No, no, no, not at all. I was merely noting some of the similarities to wildlands inhabitants." The girl explained, wanting to keep peace.

"Yes. Dialect is referred to as celtic. Term coined by human scholars. Faunus relocated to menagerie adopted dialect as a sort of anti human culture. Truly fascinating." Absolum commented in between puffs.

"Calm down hat, the lass meant no harm. And wot's with the ink?" Hare gestured to the designs laid out on Fratley's skin.

"Ah, this bit o' knot work? Clan tatoos. Dust, herbs and vegetable oil. It's a sign that I finished my training." Fratley explained, patting at the designs as he did so, "The right arm is for warrior tattoos, while the left is for shaman stuff, like with my aura and whatnot."

"Interesting. Dust in tattoos. Undoubtedly a dangerous procedure. Do they glow?" Absolum spoke, though whether it was aimed at Fratley or just to himself was unclear.

"Dangerous prowhat?" Fratley scratched his ginger brow.

"Procedure, it means a series of steps Mr. Fratley. As for you Mr. Hare, you said earlier that you could not get into a combat school. What exactly did you mean?" Alice questioned, interested.

"Innit obvious? No combat schools to have transcripts for. No money to afford the schools. And the two big reasons on the top of my head." Hare gave a weak smile as he patted at the ears.

"I hear ya there brother." Fratley simply nodded in agreement.

"Wait, you have been denied entry to combat schools because you are a faunus?" This was news to Alice, then again her understanding of the outside world was not the most accurate.

"Not an uncommon practice. Private academies human owned. Many humans would prefer for faunus on Menagerie to have little to no weapons. Much less training to use weapons. Unfortunate business truly." Despite still engrossed in his pancakes, Absolum managed to rattle off an assessment.

"That is positively ghastly!" Alice was shocked, "Why has this never been brought to our attention?"

"Whoa whoa whoa, the royals don't know this is goin' on?" Fratley would have been taken aback, had he understood the phrase.

"Royal family no longer part of government. But still influential. Purposely kept uninformed. Most likely." The smoker was still working through his pancakes.

"When I finish my meal I will need to contact my father and inform him at once about this." Alice exclaimed, still outraged.

"Attention first year initiates, please proceed to your lockers to collect your weapons and armor." The voice of Goodwitch echoed across the room.

"Well. It looks as though that call will have to wait. Good luck. Heard rumors. Initiation dangerous. Will be going to get weapons. Going without them would be. Problematic." Absolum finished the cigarette and flicked the burnt out butt aside as he gave his farewells.

"Goodbye Mr. Absolum. Mr. Fratley I take it you have your weapons and equipment?" She turned to the fox faunus who had just begun to stand.

"What do ya think?" Hare answered for him, as Fratley only smiled. "Wait, you don't 'ave your weapon lass?"

"Why do you have yours with you?" Alice asked the two boys. Fratley she could understand...it was just his nature, Hare she was less certain.

"Of course. Never leave home without 'em" Hare grinned.

"Pardon me but what exactly is your weapon?" She had spotted the polearm and was curious as it's nature.

"Collapsible grim bone spear, the head is a set of boarbatusk, well tusks." The hunter beamed with pride at his hand made weapons, "And this little beauty's my dirk. Made it out of a deathstalker stinger. Little' beauty even glows."

"Ah Mr. Fratley mentioned that it was common practice to make weapons out of grimm bones in the wildlands." Alice nodded as Hare strapped the knife back into his boot.

"Yep. So what are you packin?" The hare faunus asked.

"I left it in my locker last evening, but I use a broadsword of sorts. It has dust crystals along the blade, I believe the smith christened it the 'Vorpal Blade'" Alice answered.

"Neat. Well. I best be off. See ya around." Hare gave a nod, ears flopping as he did.

"Farewell Mr. Hare." Alice gave a short wave goodbye before being addressed by the other faunus.

"I think I'll be takin' off too Nilesly. Good huntin'" He said, before giving a quick nod.

"Ah. I understand. Farewell Mr. Fratley." She waved him off too, before making her own way to the locker room.


End file.
